I love a good story. It’s only recently through my story research that I’ve come to realize that most of the stories I love center on a strong protagonist. I identify with strong women characters like Cheryl Strayed, who writes about her thousand plus mile hike on the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mohave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State as she deals with the death of her mother and the end of her marriage.

While our life situations are vastly different, I understand Cheryl’s need for space and silence as she figures out who she is. I relate to her as a woman, and as an adventurer and that is enough to bridge the gaps between our lives. My recent move to Nepal and interest in trekking doesn’t hurt either.

The story of one, or of the individual, is the most powerful tool that nonprofits have in their communications arsenal. A story about and images of a single person have enormous power. This is most evident in fundraising. We live in a word where Kickstarter sells the stories of individuals and small teams, not products, and Watsi has met incredible success by connecting individuals needing medical care to interested donors. These organizations are harnessing the power of individual stories for the greater good.

The reason why people will connect with your nonprofits story is the same reason that I connect with Cheryl Strayed. We have a physical response to good stories, and once we’ve seen them and connected with them they become a part of us. It’s not hard for us to create parallels between our story and the stories of others.

So when you’re deciding which stories to tell, think about the people in your organization who inspire you. Your stories can be about beneficiaries, employees, volunteers, or board members. But the most important thing is that the story of whomever you choose creates an emotional connection for those who you want to inspire.

Namaste! I’ve officially begun my journey as a photographer in Kathmandu, Nepal. I arrived two weeks ago, and this may be my greatest adventure yet. I’ve been exploring the city, making new friends, and learning Nepali.

Last week, my friend Derek and I decided to take to the hills right outside the city. I had my first bites of Nepali food and then we grabbed our cameras and wandered through a nearby rural village.

Nepalese people are very kind and open to strangers. Every person we encountered on our hike greeted us like our presence was nothing out of the norm.

It was great to be able to use the few bits of language that I learned in Nepali class. And people actually understood what I said! It reaffirmed that there is real value in learning the language in the countries you live. There is no greater way to connect with someone, and it makes a tremendous difference with the people I photograph.

Surprisingly most of the connections we made with people on the trail were completely on accident. Early on in our walk, we came across an old gentleman making baskets---called dokos. Dokos are made out of bamboo and are typically used by porters to carry goods like vegetables, grains, bricks, and water pots. They are attached to the forehead with a strap called a namlo.

We took several photos while the man worked. Then we asked if we could purchase a doko from him. His daughter came and negotiated with us, and we made a deal. I was pretty excited to have a doko laundry hamper in my mostly empty apartment. But I didn’t realize that our doko purchase would help us connected with everyone else on our hike.

As Derek carried the doko up the hill, other people called out to us asking us where our namlo was. They giggled up at this tall, white man carrying his doko. We tried to make conversation, pointed at the doko, and joked with people on our journey.

It really opened the door for better photographs.The lesson I learned is you can never underestimate the power of having common ground. My doko basket may be holding my laundry today but yesterday it was the means to connecting with someone else.

About Me.

I’m a professional photographer and multimedia storyteller. I primarily work with nonprofits and international organizations to share their stories. My approach is creating vibrant, honest, and emotional photography.